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cottoneyedjoe

United States
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March 28, 2019
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Jul 19, 2022, 1:53 am

I went through every US state lottery's most recent financial report to see how sales of scratchers compare to sales of Powerball and Mega Millions. Some states didn't have granular data available, but where it is available, you can see scratchers out-sell PB/MM by a wide margin. In two states (OR and SD) lottery sales are dominated by video lottery, and scratchers and draw game sales are just a drop in the bucket. Two other states (ND and WY) don't even sell scratchers. In all states, I did not include "pull tab" sales in scratchers numbers, nor did I include other forms of gambling (such as sportsbook and table games) in the lottery sales totals, even though some states report these sales together.

Hope you find this interesting!

Format:
-Name of State
-Scratchers sales as percent of lottery sales
-PB/MM sales as percent of lottery sales
-Publicly available source

Arizona
Scratchers: 77.1%
PB/MM: 13.1%
Source: https://www.arizonalottery.com/media/2500/arizona-lottery-fy21-annual-report.pdf page 38

Arkansas
Scratchers: 83.8%
PB/MM: 8.0%
Source: https://www.myarkansaslottery.com/sites/default/files/components/files/fy_2021_annual_financial_report.pdf page 8

California
Scratchers: 76.0%
PB/MM: 9.9%
Source: https://static.www.calottery.com/-/media/Project/calottery/PWS/PDFs/Financial-Reports-etc/California-Lottery-Annual-Report-FY-End-June-30-2020-w-Final-Opinion-V2.pdf?rev=68c9f67ab0d04bf297fa158307f65799&hash=35B5D11EF11889B8A1820CE15A7E1421 pages 9, 25

Colorado
Scratchers: 72.1%
PB/MM: 15.6%
Source: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/audits/osa_co_department_of_revenue_state_lottery_division_2021_financial_statements_-_final.pdf page 16

Connecticut
Scratchers: 55.9%
PB/MM: 7.1%
Source: https://www.ctlottery.org/Content/pages/versions/18/20220712083513/CLC22069%202021%20Annual%20Report%20Content%20WEB%20FINAL_3.11.pdf pages 12, 15

Delaware
Scratchers: 48.7%
PB/MM: 13.6%
Source: https://auditor.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2021/06/2019-20-Lottery-CAFR.pdf page 25

District of Columbia
Couldn’t find any reports past 2012.

Florida
Scratchers: 75.2%
PB/MM: 7.7%
Source: https://www.flalottery.com/exptkt/financialreport21.pdf page 74

Georgia
Scratchers: 66.4%
PB/MM: 4.7%
Source: https://d1gszp1bmamha.cloudfront.net/content/dam/portal/pdfs/georgia-benefits/20220217-GeorgiaLotteryCorporation2021AuditReportFinal.pdf pages 6, 9

Idaho
Scratchers: 64.7%
PB/MM: 12.4%
Source: https://issuu.com/idaholottery/docs/2021_annual_report page 19

Illinois
Scratchers: 64.0%
PB/MM: 5.9%
Source: https://www.illinoislottery.com/illinois-lottery/financial-information/lottery-sales--expenses-and-transfers page 3 of May 2022 report

Indiana
Scratchers: 79.6%
PB/MM: 8.0%
Source: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/publications/agency/reports/loto/#document-e781bd8f page 9

Iowa
Scratchers: 70.8%
PB/MM: 13.1%
Source: https://www.ialottery.com/PDF/FinancialRpts/2022/May2022_Financials.pdf

Kansas
Reports available by request only.

Kentucky
Scratchers: 60.6%
PB/MM: 7.0%
Source: https://www.kylottery.com/export/kylmod/galleries/documents/KYLottery_annual_report/2021KyLotteryCorporationaudit.pdf pages 7, 9

Louisiana
Scratchers: 53.3%
PB/MM: 18.0%
Source: https://app.lla.state.la.us/publicreports.nsf/0/38012d3b74bf9fe18625875a006a361e/$file/00024b64.pdf?openelement&.7773098 page 13

Maine
Scratchers: 79.4%
PB/MM: 7.7%
Source: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bablo/sites/maine.gov.dafs.bablo/files/inline-files/BABLO%20Annual%20Report%20-%20FY2020.pdf page 3

Maryland
Scratchers: 38.9%
PB/MM: 6.8%
Source: https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5300/sc5339/000113/025200/025209/20210350e.pdf pages 20, 21, 25

Massachusetts
Scratchers: 69.2%
PB/MM: 3.7%
Source: https://assets.ctfassets.net/45roy5e8ztfd/7AZjAPr8muCH7uZ8p4bEuQ/753a04442e7c8583d9d768a34d324578/Statement_of_Operations_FY_2021.pdf

Michigan
Scratchers: 48.5%
PB/MM: 6.5%
Source: https://assets.ctfassets.net/d6o62jwe1jlr/1FMFKXch3le2hR9Tz4Fqwu/484c038cae9ac62381399b2f474bbcdc/FINAL_PDF_2021.pdf page 87

Minnesota
Scratchers: 76.6%
PB/MM: 12.5%
Source: https://s3-us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/mnlottery.cms.assets/Annual-Report/2021_MN_Lottery_ACFR.pdf pages 8-10

Mississippi
Scratchers: 79.6%
PB/MM: Draw game sales not broken down by game.
Source: https://g9g6f4y6.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/1Q-MLC-Quarterly-Financial-Statements.pdf

Missouri
Scratchers: 67.1%
PB/MM: 7.2%
Source: https://www.molottery.com/where_the_money_goes/documents/fy21_annualReport.pdf page 51

Montana
Scratchers: 40.3%
PB/MM: 25.5%
Source: https://www.montanalottery.com/static/assets/FINANCIAL_STATEMENTS_6-30-21.pdf page 4

Nebraska
Couldn’t find a report that breaks down sales by game.

New Hampshire
Scratchers: 64.7%
PB/MM: 11.7%
Source: https://www.nhlottery.com/Files/PDFs/Financial-Reports/2021/NH_Lottery_FY21_Annual_Report page 66

New Jersey
Scratchers: 59.3%
PB/MM: 10.6%
Source: https://njs-cdn.lotteryservices.com/content/dam/portal/pdfs/giving_back/2021/FY2021_NJ_Lottery_Financial_Statements.pdf page 14

New Mexico
Scratchers: 61.6%
PB/MM: 26.4%
Source: https://www.nmlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/New-Mexico-Lottery-Authority-FY-2021-Financial-Audit-Report-Final.pdf page 14

New York
Scratchers: 53.3%
PB/MM: 7.1%
Source: https://edit.nylottery.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/final_NYSL_FS_2020.pdf page 8

North Carolina
Scratchers: 69.3%
PB/MM: 5.9%
Source: https://nclottery.com/Content/Docs/CAFR2020.pdf page 90

North Dakota
ND Lottery doesn’t sell scratchers.

Ohio
Scratchers: 53.5%
PB/MM: 6.3%
Source: https://www.ohiolottery.com/ohiolottery/media/pdfs/about/OLC_Annual_Report_2021.pdf pages 8,9

Oklahoma
Scratchers: 73.8%
PB/MM: 20.2%
Source: https://www.lottery.ok.gov/client/media/About/OK%20Lottery%202021%20Report%20Final.pdf page 28

Oregon
Video Lottery: 69.8% of all lottery sales
Scratchers: 43.4 % of non-video lottery sales
PB/MM: 15.9% of non-video lottery sales
Source: https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Documents/2020-45.pdf page 16

Pennsylvania
Scratchers: 70.9%
PB/MM/Cash4Life: 7.6% (Couldn’t find PB and MM sales data alone.)
Source: https://www.palottery.state.pa.us/PaLotteryWebSite/media/PA-Lottery-Reports/Profit/PAL_Profit-Report_FY20-21.pdf

Rhode Island
Scratchers: 46.4%
PB/MM: 12.7%
Source: https://www.rilot.com/content/dam/interactive/ilottery/pdfs/financial/CAFR-Report-FY-2021.pdf page 77

South Carolina
Scratchers: 73.0%
PB/MM: 6.0%
Source: https://www.sceducationlottery.com/documents/lottery/AnnualReports/FY21FinancialReport.pdf page 5

South Dakota
Video Lottery: 93.4% of all lottery sales
Scratchers: 64.5% of non-video lottery sales
PB/MM: Draw game sales not broken down by game.
Source: https://boardsandcommissions.sd.gov/bcuploads/PublicDocs/FY2021_Annual%20Report%20Boards%20and%20Commissions.pdf page 5

Tennessee
Scratchers: 83.3%
PB/MM: 7.3%
Source: https://tnlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FY-2021-Tennessee-Education-Lottery-Corporation-Annual-Report.pdf

Texas
Scratchers: 81.6%
PB/MM: 8.7%
Source: https://www.texaslottery.com/export/sites/lottery/Documents/financial/FY21_Audited_Financials_FINAL.pdf pages 11, 12

Vermont
Scratchers: 77-82% of the lottery’s revenue (not necessarily sales)
PB/MM: Sales data not broken down by game
Source: https://vtlottery.com/sites/default/files/Department%20of%20Liquor%20and%20Lottery%20Annual%20Report%202020-flipbook.pdf page 44

Virginia
Scratchers: 54.3%
PB/MM: 7.7%
Source: https://www.valottery.com/-/media/pdf/financial-report-fy20.pdf page 6

Washington
Scratchers: 73.8%
PB/MM: 13.6%
Source: https://www.walottery.com/About/assets/docs/21AnnualReport.pdf pages 11, 12

West Virginia
Scratchers: 69.5%
PB/MM: 18.5%
Source: https://wvlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/WV-Lottery-ACFR-FY21.pdf?eedad2b142 pages 20, 21

Wisconsin
Scratchers: 71.0%
PB/MM: 14.9%
Source: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/LAB/media/3403/22-7full_747530.pdf page 22

Wyoming
WY Lottery doesn’t sell scratchers.
OhSoClose

Tyrone, PA
United States
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May 15, 2019
231 Posts
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Jul 19, 2022, 7:34 am

I'd think this is due to a combination of immediacy, availability, and simplicity. Virtually every grocery store and gas station sells scratchers. At the grocery store, it seems like every third or fourth person stops with their cart on the way out to shove a twenty in to try their luck. That's a lot of traffic. It's also much easier than filling out a bet slip or going up to a customer service desk to play the other games and risk looking clueless because you really don't understand what you're doing. Unlike the rest of us who think/hope we know what we're doing.
Stat$talker

700 light yrs West of Milky Way Galaxy's Center
United States
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September 1, 2019
4,173 Posts
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Jul 19, 2022, 11:14 am

Quote: Originally posted by cottoneyedjoe on Jul 19, 2022
I went through every US state lottery's most recent financial report to see how sales of scratchers compare to sales of Powerball and Mega Millions. Some states didn't have granular data available, but where it is available, you can see scratchers out-sell PB/MM by a wide margin. In two states (OR and SD) lottery sales are dominated by video lottery, and scratchers and draw game sales are just a drop in the bucket. Two other states (ND and WY) don't even sell scratchers. In all states, I did not include "pull tab" sales in scratchers numbers, nor did I include other forms of gambling (such as sportsbook and table games) in the lottery sales totals, even though some states report these sales together.

Hope you find this interesting!

Format:
-Name of State
-Scratchers sales as percent of lottery sales
-PB/MM sales as percent of lottery sales
-Publicly available source

Arizona
Scratchers: 77.1%
PB/MM: 13.1%
Source: https://www.arizonalottery.com/media/2500/arizona-lottery-fy21-annual-report.pdf page 38

Arkansas
Scratchers: 83.8%
PB/MM: 8.0%
Source: https://www.myarkansaslottery.com/sites/default/files/components/files/fy_2021_annual_financial_report.pdf page 8

California
Scratchers: 76.0%
PB/MM: 9.9%
Source: https://static.www.calottery.com/-/media/Project/calottery/PWS/PDFs/Financial-Reports-etc/California-Lottery-Annual-Report-FY-End-June-30-2020-w-Final-Opinion-V2.pdf?rev=68c9f67ab0d04bf297fa158307f65799&hash=35B5D11EF11889B8A1820CE15A7E1421 pages 9, 25

Colorado
Scratchers: 72.1%
PB/MM: 15.6%
Source: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/audits/osa_co_department_of_revenue_state_lottery_division_2021_financial_statements_-_final.pdf page 16

Connecticut
Scratchers: 55.9%
PB/MM: 7.1%
Source: https://www.ctlottery.org/Content/pages/versions/18/20220712083513/CLC22069%202021%20Annual%20Report%20Content%20WEB%20FINAL_3.11.pdf pages 12, 15

Delaware
Scratchers: 48.7%
PB/MM: 13.6%
Source: https://auditor.delaware.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2021/06/2019-20-Lottery-CAFR.pdf page 25

District of Columbia
Couldn’t find any reports past 2012.

Florida
Scratchers: 75.2%
PB/MM: 7.7%
Source: https://www.flalottery.com/exptkt/financialreport21.pdf page 74

Georgia
Scratchers: 66.4%
PB/MM: 4.7%
Source: https://d1gszp1bmamha.cloudfront.net/content/dam/portal/pdfs/georgia-benefits/20220217-GeorgiaLotteryCorporation2021AuditReportFinal.pdf pages 6, 9

Idaho
Scratchers: 64.7%
PB/MM: 12.4%
Source: https://issuu.com/idaholottery/docs/2021_annual_report page 19

Illinois
Scratchers: 64.0%
PB/MM: 5.9%
Source: https://www.illinoislottery.com/illinois-lottery/financial-information/lottery-sales--expenses-and-transfers page 3 of May 2022 report

Indiana
Scratchers: 79.6%
PB/MM: 8.0%
Source: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/publications/agency/reports/loto/#document-e781bd8f page 9

Iowa
Scratchers: 70.8%
PB/MM: 13.1%
Source: https://www.ialottery.com/PDF/FinancialRpts/2022/May2022_Financials.pdf

Kansas
Reports available by request only.

Kentucky
Scratchers: 60.6%
PB/MM: 7.0%
Source: https://www.kylottery.com/export/kylmod/galleries/documents/KYLottery_annual_report/2021KyLotteryCorporationaudit.pdf pages 7, 9

Louisiana
Scratchers: 53.3%
PB/MM: 18.0%
Source: https://app.lla.state.la.us/publicreports.nsf/0/38012d3b74bf9fe18625875a006a361e/$file/00024b64.pdf?openelement&.7773098 page 13

Maine
Scratchers: 79.4%
PB/MM: 7.7%
Source: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bablo/sites/maine.gov.dafs.bablo/files/inline-files/BABLO%20Annual%20Report%20-%20FY2020.pdf page 3

Maryland
Scratchers: 38.9%
PB/MM: 6.8%
Source: https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc5300/sc5339/000113/025200/025209/20210350e.pdf pages 20, 21, 25

Massachusetts
Scratchers: 69.2%
PB/MM: 3.7%
Source: https://assets.ctfassets.net/45roy5e8ztfd/7AZjAPr8muCH7uZ8p4bEuQ/753a04442e7c8583d9d768a34d324578/Statement_of_Operations_FY_2021.pdf

Michigan
Scratchers: 48.5%
PB/MM: 6.5%
Source: https://assets.ctfassets.net/d6o62jwe1jlr/1FMFKXch3le2hR9Tz4Fqwu/484c038cae9ac62381399b2f474bbcdc/FINAL_PDF_2021.pdf page 87

Minnesota
Scratchers: 76.6%
PB/MM: 12.5%
Source: https://s3-us-gov-west-1.amazonaws.com/mnlottery.cms.assets/Annual-Report/2021_MN_Lottery_ACFR.pdf pages 8-10

Mississippi
Scratchers: 79.6%
PB/MM: Draw game sales not broken down by game.
Source: https://g9g6f4y6.stackpathcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/1Q-MLC-Quarterly-Financial-Statements.pdf

Missouri
Scratchers: 67.1%
PB/MM: 7.2%
Source: https://www.molottery.com/where_the_money_goes/documents/fy21_annualReport.pdf page 51

Montana
Scratchers: 40.3%
PB/MM: 25.5%
Source: https://www.montanalottery.com/static/assets/FINANCIAL_STATEMENTS_6-30-21.pdf page 4

Nebraska
Couldn’t find a report that breaks down sales by game.

New Hampshire
Scratchers: 64.7%
PB/MM: 11.7%
Source: https://www.nhlottery.com/Files/PDFs/Financial-Reports/2021/NH_Lottery_FY21_Annual_Report page 66

New Jersey
Scratchers: 59.3%
PB/MM: 10.6%
Source: https://njs-cdn.lotteryservices.com/content/dam/portal/pdfs/giving_back/2021/FY2021_NJ_Lottery_Financial_Statements.pdf page 14

New Mexico
Scratchers: 61.6%
PB/MM: 26.4%
Source: https://www.nmlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/New-Mexico-Lottery-Authority-FY-2021-Financial-Audit-Report-Final.pdf page 14

New York
Scratchers: 53.3%
PB/MM: 7.1%
Source: https://edit.nylottery.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2020-09/final_NYSL_FS_2020.pdf page 8

North Carolina
Scratchers: 69.3%
PB/MM: 5.9%
Source: https://nclottery.com/Content/Docs/CAFR2020.pdf page 90

North Dakota
ND Lottery doesn’t sell scratchers.

Ohio
Scratchers: 53.5%
PB/MM: 6.3%
Source: https://www.ohiolottery.com/ohiolottery/media/pdfs/about/OLC_Annual_Report_2021.pdf pages 8,9

Oklahoma
Scratchers: 73.8%
PB/MM: 20.2%
Source: https://www.lottery.ok.gov/client/media/About/OK%20Lottery%202021%20Report%20Final.pdf page 28

Oregon
Video Lottery: 69.8% of all lottery sales
Scratchers: 43.4 % of non-video lottery sales
PB/MM: 15.9% of non-video lottery sales
Source: https://sos.oregon.gov/audits/Documents/2020-45.pdf page 16

Pennsylvania
Scratchers: 70.9%
PB/MM/Cash4Life: 7.6% (Couldn’t find PB and MM sales data alone.)
Source: https://www.palottery.state.pa.us/PaLotteryWebSite/media/PA-Lottery-Reports/Profit/PAL_Profit-Report_FY20-21.pdf

Rhode Island
Scratchers: 46.4%
PB/MM: 12.7%
Source: https://www.rilot.com/content/dam/interactive/ilottery/pdfs/financial/CAFR-Report-FY-2021.pdf page 77

South Carolina
Scratchers: 73.0%
PB/MM: 6.0%
Source: https://www.sceducationlottery.com/documents/lottery/AnnualReports/FY21FinancialReport.pdf page 5

South Dakota
Video Lottery: 93.4% of all lottery sales
Scratchers: 64.5% of non-video lottery sales
PB/MM: Draw game sales not broken down by game.
Source: https://boardsandcommissions.sd.gov/bcuploads/PublicDocs/FY2021_Annual%20Report%20Boards%20and%20Commissions.pdf page 5

Tennessee
Scratchers: 83.3%
PB/MM: 7.3%
Source: https://tnlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FY-2021-Tennessee-Education-Lottery-Corporation-Annual-Report.pdf

Texas
Scratchers: 81.6%
PB/MM: 8.7%
Source: https://www.texaslottery.com/export/sites/lottery/Documents/financial/FY21_Audited_Financials_FINAL.pdf pages 11, 12

Vermont
Scratchers: 77-82% of the lottery’s revenue (not necessarily sales)
PB/MM: Sales data not broken down by game
Source: https://vtlottery.com/sites/default/files/Department%20of%20Liquor%20and%20Lottery%20Annual%20Report%202020-flipbook.pdf page 44

Virginia
Scratchers: 54.3%
PB/MM: 7.7%
Source: https://www.valottery.com/-/media/pdf/financial-report-fy20.pdf page 6

Washington
Scratchers: 73.8%
PB/MM: 13.6%
Source: https://www.walottery.com/About/assets/docs/21AnnualReport.pdf pages 11, 12

West Virginia
Scratchers: 69.5%
PB/MM: 18.5%
Source: https://wvlottery.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/WV-Lottery-ACFR-FY21.pdf?eedad2b142 pages 20, 21

Wisconsin
Scratchers: 71.0%
PB/MM: 14.9%
Source: https://legis.wisconsin.gov/LAB/media/3403/22-7full_747530.pdf page 22

Wyoming
WY Lottery doesn’t sell scratchers.

"Hope you find this interesting!"

Yeaa, it'z intresting to see that All Statez gotta a LottoFleaz.. since they're All "Scratchin" soo much.

Kudoz to ya for such xstensive werk

BTW: Wheaaz dat Berd-Brain Buddy ov Yoz? Dat Texez 2 Stepper?

...MATH... The final Stochastic frontier...

These are the Lottery Voyages of Stat$talker..!!

The ongoing Mission,..to seek out the Laws of "Probability Math"...

to master its rules to invoke...to Conquer ALL Major Jackpots..!!

...To boldly go,... Where NO Player has gone before...!!
cottoneyedjoe

United States
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March 28, 2019
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Jul 19, 2022, 11:58 am

Quote: Originally posted by OhSoClose on Jul 19, 2022
I'd think this is due to a combination of immediacy, availability, and simplicity. Virtually every grocery store and gas station sells scratchers. At the grocery store, it seems like every third or fourth person stops with their cart on the way out to shove a twenty in to try their luck. That's a lot of traffic. It's also much easier than filling out a bet slip or going up to a customer service desk to play the other games and risk looking clueless because you really don't understand what you're doing. Unlike the rest of us who think/hope we know what we're doing.

I agree OhSoClose. And the dominance of scratchers could be why there hasn't been much innovation in draw games for many years in certain states.

An interesting thing I saw in some of the more detailed reports is that growth in scratchers sales is driven by high-dollar tickets.
OhSoClose

Tyrone, PA
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Jul 19, 2022, 1:18 pm

Quote: Originally posted by cottoneyedjoe on Jul 19, 2022
I agree OhSoClose. And the dominance of scratchers could be why there hasn't been much innovation in draw games for many years in certain states.

An interesting thing I saw in some of the more detailed reports is that growth in scratchers sales is driven by high-dollar tickets.

Have you noticed the sheer number of youtube channels of people who scratch off sometimes hundreds of dollars in tickets per session? It's amazing. Pennsylvania came out with a $50 scratcher not that long ago. I haven't had the budget or will to buy any, but the youtube channels jumped all over them and they were consistently disappointing.

Many of the youtube channel guys consider a successful session to get half their money back. I don't know on what plane of existence that counts as success. They must be making money off of views, because I don't see any of them making a profit off the tickets.
rcbbuckeye

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Jul 19, 2022, 4:10 pm

I sell a lot of scratchers in my little c-store, but with MM being as high as it is, I'm selling a lot of online tix too.

I always knew scratchers outsell online tix. I think it's the instant gratification (hope?) that drives the high sales, instead of waiting for a drawing.

Nice work Joe!

CAN'T WIN IF YOU'RE NOT IN

A DOLLAR AND A DREAM (OR $2)
db101

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Jul 19, 2022, 4:24 pm

Wyoming Lottery says on their website FAQ's the reason they dont sell scratchers is because it's prohibited by state law. Their legislature should read this post and see how much money they're missing out on.
db101

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Jul 19, 2022, 6:33 pm

Quote: Originally posted by Stat$talker on Jul 19, 2022
"Hope you find this interesting!"

Yeaa, it'z intresting to see that All Statez gotta a LottoFleaz.. since they're All "Scratchin" soo much.

Kudoz to ya for such xstensive werk

BTW: Wheaaz dat Berd-Brain Buddy ov Yoz? Dat Texez 2 Stepper?

This post should make you reconsider your belief that the lotteries are manipulating draw games to cheat. The big money is in scratchers. That's where all the cheatin be at!
Stat$talker

700 light yrs West of Milky Way Galaxy's Center
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Jul 20, 2022, 12:14 am

Quote: Originally posted by db101 on Jul 19, 2022
This post should make you reconsider your belief that the lotteries are manipulating draw games to cheat. The big money is in scratchers. That's where all the cheatin be at!

"your belief that the lotteries are manipulating draw games to cheat."

They don't manipulate every Lotto drawing, but some I just happen ta play..they ain't werried bout playaz like YOU..but you can bet, they are werried bout Stat$talker ..You can see EvErYtHaNg perched atop Mathematical Mt. Everest.!

You can even count da amount ov hairz on toppa Lilmeister'z Bald-head..

Aaaye? Whooo iz dat down at da bottom ov da Mt.?.. Iz dat Allen Butthead?.. still in da SAME spot wit hiz Burnt CrIcKeTz..!! ..Lawd hamercy, somebody hep'im..

-Stat$talker

...MATH... The final Stochastic frontier...

These are the Lottery Voyages of Stat$talker..!!

The ongoing Mission,..to seek out the Laws of "Probability Math"...

to master its rules to invoke...to Conquer ALL Major Jackpots..!!

...To boldly go,... Where NO Player has gone before...!!
OhSoClose

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Jul 20, 2022, 8:47 am

Quote: Originally posted by db101 on Jul 19, 2022
This post should make you reconsider your belief that the lotteries are manipulating draw games to cheat. The big money is in scratchers. That's where all the cheatin be at!

I know your comment is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but I have wondered about the random distribution of big winners among scratchers. A couple years ago, I noticed that in Pennsylvania, the $20 Christmas scratcher had a grand prize of $1 million and there were 5 of them total in the state. 2 of the 5 million dollar winners were claimed in the same relatively small county, which struck me as highly unlikely. If 5 were randomly distributed throughout the entire state, how did 2 of them end up in the same county?

They have since come out with something they call Fast Play, which is an instant game that gets printed out when purchased. It feels like the chances of hitting a jackpot are more likely because it's distributed electronically rather than physically. I understand there's still a chance of them cheating the players that way too, but with a physical scratcher, you could buy every $20 scratcher in the county and if there are no big winners in your county, you're never going to hit.
Todd

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Chief Bottle Washer

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Jul 20, 2022, 8:50 am

Interesting stuff cottoneyedjoe! Thanks for researching and posting this!

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Artist77

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Jul 20, 2022, 9:32 am

Great research CEJ.

I thought it would be more like 55 to 45 so rather surprised at the results.
cottoneyedjoe

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Jul 20, 2022, 11:55 am

Thanks for the kind words!
cottoneyedjoe

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Jul 20, 2022, 12:40 pm

Quote: Originally posted by OhSoClose on Jul 20, 2022
I know your comment is meant to be tongue-in-cheek, but I have wondered about the random distribution of big winners among scratchers. A couple years ago, I noticed that in Pennsylvania, the $20 Christmas scratcher had a grand prize of $1 million and there were 5 of them total in the state. 2 of the 5 million dollar winners were claimed in the same relatively small county, which struck me as highly unlikely. If 5 were randomly distributed throughout the entire state, how did 2 of them end up in the same county?

They have since come out with something they call Fast Play, which is an instant game that gets printed out when purchased. It feels like the chances of hitting a jackpot are more likely because it's distributed electronically rather than physically. I understand there's still a chance of them cheating the players that way too, but with a physical scratcher, you could buy every $20 scratcher in the county and if there are no big winners in your county, you're never going to hit.

I also have doubts about how random the distribution of scratchers top prizes are, geographically. A lottery has the capability to control distribution very precisely, if it wants to. So why wouldn't it?
Artist77

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Jul 20, 2022, 1:05 pm

Quote: Originally posted by cottoneyedjoe on Jul 20, 2022
I also have doubts about how random the distribution of scratchers top prizes are, geographically. A lottery has the capability to control distribution very precisely, if it wants to. So why wouldn't it?

I agree and that is a big reason why I do not play scratchers in my state. The big winners are rarely in my heavily populated area and seem to be in small rural areas.

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